Minutes from the Fed's July meeting released Wednesday provided little clarity on the future course for rates.

Esther George, president of the Fed's Kansas City regional bank, and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker said in televised interviews they see no need for another rate cut.

George and Eric Rosengren, president of the Boston Fed, dissented from the 8-2 rate cut vote, arguing that they favored no rate cut at all.

Investors predict a 91.2% likelihood the Fed will cut its benchmark rate by a quarter-point next month, according to the CME Group, which tracks investor bets. That is down from 98.5% the day before.

Investors worried that uncertainty over the U.S.'s escalating trade war with China could cause the economy to stumble, hurting corporate profits.

The Trump administration has imposed a 25% tariff on $250 billion in Chinese products. A pending 10% tariff on another $300 billion in goods would hit everything from toys to clothing and shoes that China ships to the United States. Some 60% of the new tariffs were postponed to mid-December and others taken off the table altogether.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude gained 3 cents to $55.38 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 33 cents on Thursday to close at $55.35. Brent crude, used to price international oils, advanced 5 cents to $59.97 in London. It shed 38 cents the previous session to $59.92.

CURRENCY: The dollar rose to 106.62 yen from Thursday's 106.42 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1070 from $1.1082.